Cable stranding machine



April 9, 1957 c. o. BRUESTLE CABLE STRANDING MACHINE Filed May 22, 1953lgg-L 2 Sheets-Sheet l April 5 c. o. BRUESTLE CABLE STRANDING MACHINE 2Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 22, 1953 Carl; 0 Bruesfle 2,78 7,884 f atentedApr. 9, 1957 Fine CABLE STRANDING MACHINE Carl 0. Bruestle, Metuchen, N.J., assignor to Syncro Machine Company, Perth Amboy, N. J., acorporation of New Jersey Application May 22, 1953, Serial No. 356,85914 Claims. (Cl. 57-65) This invention comprises improvements explainedbelow in detail for improving the construction and operation of cablestranding machines. 7

These machines are well known in the art and are of the type for thepurpose of this invention in which there is provided a main rotatableshaft upon which are mounted a plurality of cradles which are bodilyrotated by the main shaft and which are supported thereon so as to inturn rotate on their own axes. In other words, this invention isconcerned with a planetary type of cable stranding machine. Each cradleis provided with rotatable pintles or stub shafts upon which the cablespools are mounted for rotation on axes at right angles to the axes ofrotation of the cradles.

As is Well understood in this art, these machines are frequently ofmassive construction and by reason of the weight of the structure and ofthe loaded cable spools the forces encountered in operation are verylarge, thereby placing a rather low limit upon the practical speed ofrotation of the main shaft.

Likewise the cradle frames, due to the reversal of forces encounteredare at one moment subjected at one side to a maximum stress and shortlythereafter to a mini-mum stress. This requires that the side members ofthe cradles be relatively heavy in order to withstand the maximum forcesthat are encountered. As will be appreciated when a particular sideframe member of the cradle is subjected to a maximum force, the otherside member of that cradle is subjected to a minimum force,necessitating that each side member be strong enough to absorb theseforces.

A prime purpose of this invention is to provide a novel constructionwherein the side frame members of each cradle are cross-connected ortied together so that the force applied to any one side member of a pairis distributed into the other side member, making it possible to lightentheir construction without danger of breakage.

In accomplishing this object the construction used is such as to provideadded insurance against the possibility of the cable spools escapingfrom the cradles while the machine is in operation. This arises from thefact that in accordance with this invention a tie rod is used tocross-connect the side frame members of the cradles, and is positionedso as to pass through the tubular core of the spools. The result is thatthe cable spools cannot escape from the cradles unless the tie rodbreaks or unscrews.

The particular construction herein disclosed is characterized by thefact that the tie rod directly crossconnects the side frame members ofthe cradle and is structurally independent of the bearing assemblieswhich rotatably support the spool pintles.

Other and more detailed objects of the invention will be apparent fromthe following description of the embodiment thereof illustrated in theattached drawings.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figure 1 is an elevational view of sufficient of a planetary cablestranding machine to illustrate this invention, showing a spool cradlein plan;

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the spool cradle in side elevation;and

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

The machine includes the usual rotor shaft 10 which is provided withwebs or spiders 11 and 12 upon which is rotatably mounted in thebearings 14 and 15, the reel cradle 13. The cradle includes a pair ofside frame members 19 and 28 which have a pair of aligned bearinghousings 17 and 18. Each of the housings has a cylindrical opening andin the housing 17 is a bearing assembly comprising a pair of outer races21 and a pair of inner bearing races 22. The outer races are mounted inthe housing 17 while the inner races are mounted upon a flanged sleeve23 which is threaded at the opposite end and provided with a lockingring 24 by means of which the bearing parts are held assembled. Thetapered roller sets 25, 26 are mounted in the usual cage, asillustrated. Thus each bearing assembly comprises a pair of opposedtapered roller bearings. Mounted on the flanged end of the sleeve 23 bymeans of screws, is a truncated conical disc 27 which forms one seat forthe core of a cable reel 16.

Secured to the seat member 27 by means of screws is a grooved pulley 23which forms part of the usual friction brake commonly used in thesemachines. This wheel is provided with a projecting screw 29 positionedto engage in an aperture in the adjacent head of the spool 16. A ring 50is attached by screws to the housing 17 and cooperates with a sealingring 51 which in turn cooperates with a flanged rim on the pulley 28 toseal the bearing assembly at that point.

The other bearing assembly is mounted in the housing 18. It comprises anexternally threaded sleeve 31 that cooperates with threads in thehousing to permit its longitudinal adjustment by rotation. These threadsare indicated at 32 and are preferably of a relatively course pitch tofacilitate rapid adjustment. Mounted in the threaded sleeve 31 onsuitable seats are tapered roller assemblies comprising the outer rollerraces 33 and the inner roller races 34. The tapered bearings 35 and 3-6,as before, are mounted in suitable cages. The inner bearing races 34 aremounted upon a sleeve 48, to the inner end of which is attached, bymeans of screws, a truncated conical nose piece 37 for cooperation withthe other end of the spool 16. The bearings are held on the sleeve 48 bymeans of a threaded ring 38. Closing the outer end of the threadedsleeve 31 is a cap 39 which is secured to the sleeve by means of machinescrews as shown. The cap 39 has a central passage with a recess at oneend in which the head 42 of a threaded bolt 4-0 may seat. The end ofthis bolt is threaded at 41 for threaded cooperation with a cap 30closing the outer end of the passage in the housing 17 and mountedthereon by means of machine screws, as shown. The parts 39 and 42 areprovided with spanner wrench openings, as shown.

The threaded sleeve 31 can be locked in adjusted position by means of aclamp which consists of a pair of threaded blocks 43 lying in a cavityformed in the frame member 20. These blocks are drawn into grippingrelation with the sleeve 31 by reason of the fact that they havereversely threaded passages which are engaged by reversely threadedportions of a clamping bolt 44.

In order to replace a spool in a cradle embodying this mechanism theclamping blocks 43 are released, bolt 40 is removed and the sleeve 31 isrotated to draw the rotatable pintle and bearing assembly away from theend of the spool so that it can be withdrawn and a new one put in itsplace. The sleeve is then turned in the opposite direction to seat theconical nose piece 37 in one end the nose pieces 27 and 37 and thesleeve 37- is screwedup. It will be further apparent that when the tierod 40 is put in place and screwed up there will be an additional'loading on the bearings. Each of these loadings will depend upon howtight the operator screws up the sleeve 31 and the tie rod 40. Finallywhen the machineis in operation there will. be a third loading added tothe bearings due to the centrifugal forces caused by the loaded spool.At. one extreme position this thirdloading clue to thespool will be tothe left, for example in Figure 3, and at the otherextreme position itwill be at the right. These reversals in the direction of loading willbe gradual as the cradle revolves, as those skilled in the art willappreciate.

When the loading due to centrifugal force is to the left it will be seenthat the righthand bearing of the lefthancl assembly and the righthandbearing of the righthand assembly will take the load, and when thecentrifugal force is acting to the right the lefthand bearing of eachset will take the loading. As previously suggested in each case,v andofv course for all intermediate positions the loading due to centrifugalforces will be divided equally between the side frame members by reasonof the presence of the tension of tie bar 40 which'connects themtogether.

it will be seen that the bearing assemblies are physically independentof the tie bolt 4%. With the development of centrifugal forces due tothe rotation of the cradle any loading due thereto which is placed onthe bearings is divided between them for either axial direction of thisloading by use of the pair of opposed tapered bearings. Any forces whichare transmitted through the bearings into the housings 17 or 18 aredivided between the side frame members by reason of the connectionprovided by the bolt 40.

It is apparent that the nose pieces can be adjusted so that there is nochance of any side slap or looseness at the nose pieces in relation tothe spool. It will also be apparent that the spool may not escape fromthe cradle at least until the bolt 40 is broken or works free, providinga further safety factor.

There are other advantages of this construction but the outstandingfeature thereof is the tying of the two side frame members directlytogether. so that each may bear its share of the load as the other issubjected to centrifugal forces. This arrangement permits of either alighter cradle construction for a given speed or a higher speed ofmachine operation for a given side frame memher strength.

The particular form of construction herein used to illustrate theprinciples of this invention can be varied by those skilled in the art.I do not, therefore, desire to be limited to the single embodimentselected for illustrative purposes but rather prefer to be limited onlyas-required by the scope of the claims granted me.

What is claimed is:

1. In a cable stranding machine, a rotatable spool cradle having a pairof side members, a pair of rotatable spool supporting pintle assembliesindependently mounted in said side members respectively, and a tensionbar interconnecting said side members independently of said pintleassemblies.

2. In the combination of claim' 1, said assemblies including a pair oftubular pintles, said tension bar extending through said tubularpintles.

3. In the combination of claim 1, said assemblies in-.

4. eluding a pair of tubular pintles, said tension bar extending throughsaid tubular pintles, and cap members bearing directly on said sidemembers against which said tension bar bears.

4. In the combination of claim 1, said pintle assemblies including apair of aligned tubular pintles, a sleeve threaded ly mounted in one ofsaid side members, antifriction bearings interp'osed'between' one ofsaid tubular pintles and said sleeve, and a pair of cap members, onemounted onsaid sleeve and the other onthe opposed side member; saidtension bar" engaging said cap members.

5. In the combination of claim 1, one of said pintle assembliesincluding.asleeve'threadedly mounted on one of said side members, andmeans for locking said sleeve.

6. In the combinatiorrofclaim 1, saidpintle assemblies including a pairof opposed spool supporting conical nose pieces.

7. Inthe combination of claim l, said pintle assemblies each including apair of taperedantirfriction bearings.

8. In the combination ofclaim. 1, said pintle assemblies each includinga-pair'oftapered anti-friction. roller bearingsv arranged in opposedbalanced relation.

9. In the combinationof claim 1, means-for securing one of saidpin-tleassembliesv directly in the associated.

side members, and means for supporting the other of said pintleassemblies for axial adjustment. in the other of said sidemembers.

10. Inthe combination of claim 1, said assemblies each including a pairof opposed anti-friction thrust bearings.

11. In a cable stranding. machine, a rotatable spool cradle having apair of side members, a pair of aligned spool pintles, bearingassemblies for rotatably supporting said pint'les in said side members,and a tension bar lying axially of saidpintles and directlyinterconnecting said side membersindependently of' said pintles.

12. A combination of described, comprising cradle structure for rotationon an axis, a pair of rotatable pintles aligned on anaxis of rotation atright angles to said cradle axis, av pair of bearing-assemblies mountedon said frame members for rotatably supporting said pintles, and a tiebar lying on said. pintle axis and rigidly crossconnecting saidcradlexadjacent and'independently of said bearing assemblies. v

13. A combination as-de'scribed, comprising a cradle for rotation on. anaxis, aapair of rotatablepintles aligned on. an. axis ofrotationnatright angles to said cradle axis, a pair of bearingassemblies for said pintles, one assembly and pintlebeing axially fixedon said cradle and the other assembly and pintle being. axiallyadjustable on said cradle, means for. locking the adjustable assemblyand pintle in adjusted'position, and a tie bar lying on the pintle'axisconnected at'its ends directly to the cradle.

'14. In the combination of claim 1, one of said assemblies being fixed:tothe associated side member of said cradle andthe other being axiallyadjustable on its associated side membenand means for locking the latter7 assembly against axial movement.

References-Cited in the file-of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTSNystrom et a1 Jan. 10, 1950

